Halloween

Today is the day that the girls have been counting down to for about three weeks. Now costumes are not allowed in school, but that didn't deter them. Alexa had her outfit all set to got today in an old shirt Auntie Kim gave Chloe., plus a spider web hair tie, and some festive socks.

Chloe made her own shirt to fit the occasion. She used glow in the dark paints. You just have to trust me that they really glow.

And tonight was the big adventure. Alexa is so excited to head out she looks like she has already eaten half a bag of candy.

They set up their jack-o-lanterns on the porch before we left.

Don't worry we used the battery operated lights so the kids could set them out and we could leave them going while we were gone. Hope you all had a great Halloween.

Pumpkin Carving

With tomorrow being Halloween we finally got around to carving our pumpkins today. They drew on the faces that they wanted.

Neither of them wanted to scoop the guts out, but they toughed it out.

They did a great job carving. Alexa did some of it herself, but I helped out when her arms started wearing out.

All set of the big night!

Photography

Chloe is participating in a photography class. The class is run through UVM. The goal is to match kids who live in the same neighborhoods as the college students with a student on their street. Each person is given a disposable camera and charged with the task of taking pictures of things they like about their street and things that they don't. Chloe was really excited about doing this. I took her to the first class a little over a week ago where she met the other kids and college students who were participating and was given her camera. She needs to turn her camera in tomorrow so the pictures can be developed and ready for her class on Saturday.

We took a nice walk up and down the street today so that she could finish taking pictures.

It was nice to have some sunshine to help her photography along. At next week's class the students and kids will be putting all of their pictures together in some kind of a large group project to be displayed some where public.

UVM Fall Family Festival

Living in a college town definitely has its challenges. I do have to give UVM some credit though they are really trying to reach out to families lately and work to help the students  and residents connect. Today the girls and I attended the fall family festival on the UVM campus. It was a rather small affair, but the kids had fun. It was nice to not have something be overly crowded.

There was face painting which is always a hit with Alexa.

There were lots of crafts.

They had games too, but I could convince my kids to do any of them. There was also a bouncy house. They are big fans of bouncy houses.

And then there was a nice hill for a bumble bee to run up and down.

Church Street Trick-or-Treat

Today was trick-or-treating on Church Street. A really fun event where the kids get to go trick-or-treating up and down Church Street at the stores. It usually takes place the Saturday before Halloween. Which caused me to believe that it would be next weekend. Imagine my surprise when I saw the banner this past Monday indicating that it was today. You can imagine that I was even more surprised because I had only just purchased the materials to make the kids costumes the day before thinking a had a comfortable two weeks window to get them done. Fortunately Vermont schools were closed on Friday (don't question it just go with it we all did). I started making costumes when I got home from work on Thursday and finished Friday evening. I am quite proud of that effort. Alexa wanted to be a bumble bee.

Her costume came together pretty smoothly even though I completely created it free hand without a pattern. Just don't look too closely or you will see the flaws. Lots of them, but she is happy and that is what counts.

Chloe wanted to be a dog. I thought this would be a simple enough costume. I had a pattern, I figured I would make a few small adjustments to, and it would be done.

I should have known better as she decided she want to lots of spots on her costume and proceded to cut out an amazing amount of them for me to attach. I was thinking I could already feel the case of tendonitis in my wrist from the sewing when I hit upon the idea of hot glueing them on. I know lame, but it worked and with the exception of my loss of finger prints from all the hot glue mishaps they are on and look like she wanted.

They had a good time trick-or-treating.

We even found a craft table where they could make spiders with pom poms and pipe cleaners. So everyone was happy including me. I figure if I put all the effort into making the costumes; I like it if they wear them to lots of different Halloween events rather than just one night.

Running Girls

Chloe and Alexa ran a Ready Set Run race in Essex this morning. It is a kids running program through Run Vermont, who organize the Vermont City Marathon among other things. They have various races the kids do throughout the year. Once they finish all the different races they get a medal for participating. Today's race was in Essex. It was a rather damp and breezy morning, but the rain held off. They had some warm up exercises before the race started.

They lined them up by height at the start line. A good plan so the little guys don't get stepped on. Notice Alexa peeking out from the back.

And they were off....

Water and trail mix at the finish line.

Best of all was the raffle at the end of  the race where Chloe won a gift certificate worth $100 for a new pair of sneakers at the SkiRack. She is pretty excited to go pick out her new shoes.

Pumpkin Regatta

This afternoon we biked down to Waterfront Park to watch the giant pumpkin regatta. Here is the idea, you carve out a giant pumpkin, get in it with a paddle, and race other people. 

I have to say it was as much fun to watch as it sounds.

We packed some sandwiches and watched them race while we ate.

Running Girls

The girls ran a one mile fun run this morning.

They have both expressed an interest in doing these, so I have been trying to find them races to do. This one only had the one mile option. Alexa has never run that far before, so I wasn't sure how she would hold up.

Here they both are just past the half way turn around point.

She did great though and was excited that she even beat a couple of "big kids" at the end.